Most caps are designed and manufactured with a sweatband sewn into them as an integral part of the cap. The sweatband is normally composed of absorbent cotton or a mixture of cotton and polyester material designed to absorb or wick away sweat from the wearer's head. However, with continued use, the sweatband becomes soiled and is difficult to launder or clean. Indeed, during profuse sweating, the normal sweatband becomes soaked with sweat and, because of the excess wetting, the main body of the cap itself becomes stained. Since caps are difficult to launder or clean, a sweat-stained cap is normally ruined and must be discarded.
It has also been long recognized that evaporation is not entirely effective as a method of cooling. While a wetted material such as a wet towel or cloth placed over the head provides immediate cooling due to the evaporation of the moisture within the towel or cloth, when the towel or cloth dries out, the cooling stops. Such cooling is therefore uncontrolled and is limited in time by the amount of water that can be provided. Moreover, a moisture-soaked towel or cloth makes a person feel wet which is, of course, uncomfortable and hence undesirable.
In view of these and other deficiencies of the prior art, it is one object of the present invention to find a way of enabling the sweatband of a cap or hat to be easily laundered, washed or cleaned.
It is another object of the invention to provide a sweatband that can be removed and will provide a larger sweat-holding capacity than the sweatband of an ordinary hat or cap.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a sweatband that will fit a wide variety of caps, can be easily removed and, if desired, can be transferred from one cap to another.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a removable sweatband that can be manufactured and assembled at a lower cost.
Still another object of the invention is to allow the user to pre-wet the removable sweatband with cold water to provide a cooling effect without being uncomfortable for the user and without producing a wet feeling, causing discomfort.
These and other more detailed and specific objects of the present invention will be better understood by reference to the following figures and detailed description which illustrate by way of example but a few of the various forms of the invention within the scope of the appended claims.